The Change
by RageSugar
Summary: Waking up with a massive headache never made anyone feel like they were going to have a good day, right now for her she knew that her day was only going to get worse. How did she know? Well for starters, she had been abducted.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

 **This the start of the official reboot of this fanfiction! ( What is a reboot and why did I reboot? Check my forums for the answer!** **)**

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own. **You can only find the official version of my fanfiction on fanfiction . net, AO3, and the first chapter on my dA account (01309)**. All other sites have posted this without permission! If you are reading this on any other site please come read it on the official sites!

 **Reviews give me warm fuzzies!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter One**

The first thing Kagome became aware of was the throbbing pain coursing through her skull. She groaned and let out a small whimper as she moved her stiff limbs experimentally. She heard soft whispers all around her though her grogginess made it currently impossible to focus on what was being said. The hard ground made rolling onto her side unpleasant and she ended up stopping any attempt at moving further.

"Don't try to sit up," a soft voice cautioned.

"The drugs will make you sick to your stomach and a killer headache if you try to move around too much."

Kagome gave a slight nod of understanding. She didn't even have the energy to attempt such a task right now. Whatever her abductors had used on her definitely had some horrible side effects.

Kagome had been walking home from school like any other day - when she wasn't in the feudal era with Inuyasha and the others. Halfway home she had been grabbed and felt a sharp pain in her neck which was probably a syringe. After that the world spun and now here she was.

Her mother had warned her to be careful recently too. The national news was covering the numerous disappearances of girls and women. Most had vanished from Tokyo and it seemed everyday a new person was missing suddenly.

After the drug's effects felt like they were wearing off Kagome experimentally opened her eyes. Luckily wherever she was had been dimly lit so her eyes didn't throb with pain. She glanced around and saw numerous girls sitting in the large cell they were all contained in. Some were resting on creaky old prison style bunk beds.

"Want me to help you sit up?" asked a petite girl. Her voice had been the one that had warned her to take it easier earlier.

Kagome gave a small nod and the girl took her gently and slowly helped her into a sitting position that allowed her to lean against the concrete wall. Kagome figured she'd been out for hours just based on how stiff her body felt.

"Thank you. I'm Kagome. This will be a very idiotic question, but do you have any idea where we are?"

"Akiko and no, none of us have any clue really. Our best guess is some abandoned prison or some sort of warehouse these bastards converted to be like a prison."

Kagome's eyes scanned the cell and counted the amount of people trapped here with her. In total – including herself – there were fifteen. She recognized a few of them from their photos being released by the news announcing their disappearance. Their ages ranged from her own of seventeen years to probably early twenties. The officials investigating the disappearances stated there had been no connections between them except for the fact they were all female.

"I'm going to assume you also don't know how long any of you have been here."

Akiko nodded with a small sigh as did Kagome.

Kagome had always kept her guard up while in the past with Inuyasha because of the constant danger. She allowed herself to relax while back in her own time because she felt there wasn't really anything more dangerous than what she already dealt with. There were no demons in the present to worry about (well, except for that one time with the demon mask).

Her thoughts were soon interrupted by a loud creaking metal sound in the distance. The object responsible for the noise was a solid metal door that was opposite of the cell door. Two large men followed by a short slender elderly man entered the hallway that created a space of separation between the cells and the door.

Kagome's eyes widened in shock. While the two thugs were human… the old man was a demon! He wasn't some possessed mask but a full-blooded demon in the modern era! Why was he here and why was he holding them all captive?

The elderly demon approached the cell Kagome was imprisoned in and his black eyes scanned over the girls who had rushed to the very back wall where Akiko and Kagome were seated. Without a word he pointed to a girl with medium length hair and was probably slightly older than Kagome.

The thugs unlocked the cell door which scrapped the ground noisily as it opened. The girl who had been singled out screamed protests as one of them entered and grabbed her roughly and threw her over his shoulder with little effort. She bite, clawed, and beat his back trying to get free but it was all for naught.

They left after locking the cell door and the girls who remained whimpered and cried. Akiko shook her head and looked over at Kagome with worry-filled eyes.

"That's the fifth girl I've seen them drag out of here."

It was then that the screaming started. The girl they had taken sounded like she was being tortured as she begged for her assailants to stop whatever it was they were doing. Kagome shuddered and pressed herself into the wall as though she was trying to somehow vanish into it.

The screams soon stopped leaving only the sound of weeping from the other captive girls.

"We have to escape," Kagome stated more to herself than Akiko.

"We've all tried; multiple times. One girl – Mari – tried to squeeze through the bars and got stuck. Another girl slammed her body so hard into the door she had purple and black bruises all over her body. So unless you have some lock picking skills we're trapped here."

Kagome frowned. She wasn't going to just give up. There had to be something she could do to free them and herself. However each plan she thought of and the few she attempted proved futile.

She flopped down next to Akiko and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Maybe if all of us charged the guys we'd have a chance," Kagome thought out loud.

Akiko shook her head.

"I wasn't here when it happened but I heard from some of the others that it was already attempted once and it resulted in one of the girls getting a broken arm and no one escaped."

Kagome was growing more and more frustrated at her predicament. She was trying to keep herself from giving into the fear and hopelessness that burned in the back of her mind. She refused to give up.

Her eyes darted to the solid metal door as the old demon and his human brutes returned. They started to go through the same process as she had witnessed before. The girls rushed away from the cell bars and door and the demon selected one of them.

The singled out girl let out a shriek when the gnarled finger pointed in her direction. Again the cell door was opened and one of the men entered to grab her. Kagome charged at him with all her strength only to hit his body with a hard painful thud. She hadn't even winded him.

"Oh, what's this? A volunteer?" The old demon cackled as the large minion grabbed her roughly.

Kagome struggled in his grip and grunted with the effort to free herself. Everything she did was completely ineffective and she was dragged out of the cell fighting. Akiko had tried to pull Kagome out of the goon's grasp but failed and was shoved back into the cell.

The cell door was slammed shut and Kagome was dragged into the corridor and then past the threshold of the ominous solid metal door.

* * *

That's the end of the first chapter of The Change (reboot). There will be some very large changes to the story but the general plot will remain the same.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews give me warm fuzzies!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Two**

What was beyond that solid metal door was strange and alarming. It was a large room filled with various medical and lab equipment. There were various gadgets and monitors on tables and desks. She didn't know what all these items were for and she didn't want to find out.

"Let me go," she shouted as she struggled. She had been thrown over the thug's large shoulder which had knocked the breath out of her.

She was unceremoniously tossed onto a gurney that was thankfully padded with a medical mattress. They made quick work restraining her with leather cuffs around her wrists and ankles. She pulled against them and thrashed wildly trying to break free.

"Let her wiggle herself to exhaustion Martin," the elderly demon commented gazed at her.

She stopped to glare at him which earned her a cold smirk.

"This one isn't a crying or begging, how interesting," he commented happily to the man named Martin.

"She will soon," commented the nameless thug.

"Perhaps Gregory, perhaps."

"What do you want with me? With all those other girls?" Kagome asked.

"My dear, all your questions will be answered soon enough," the aged demon replied as he drew a dark purple liquid into a syringe.

Kagome renewed her struggles as he approached her with a dark gleam in his eyes. Martin and Gregory clasped harshly onto her body to keep her still.

The next moment she felt the needle bite into her neck and a horrendous burning spread from the injection site. The burning didn't fade away but rather spread through her body as the mysterious liquid coursed through her veins.

She bit down on her tongue to try and keep herself from screaming as the pain intensified with each beat of her heart. Her body trembled with the effort to fight against the fever that seared through her until she could withstand no more, and let out an excruciating cry of agony.

The old demon grinned widely as he seemed to take pleasure in her painful torture. The edges around her vision began to darken as she fought to stay conscious. Her body wanted to shut down, but she didn't know if she would wake up if she closed her eyes.

Try as she might eventually her world went back and silent.

When Kagome awoke she found herself in a small concrete room resting on a small bed. Thankfully she didn't find herself dead though for a while she believed that's what the outcome would have been. She also felt strangely refreshed as though she just didn't go through that traumatizing event.

She experimentally sat up and more studiously looked around her new cell. Instead of the large cell that had been designed to hold multiple people, this one was created to contain an individual. There was no window and only another solid metal door that seemed to have a piece that slid open to allow communication.

Kagome stood and approached the door. She gave pressed her palms against the cool metal and then pressed her ear against it. Wherever she had been moved to was far from they had kept her originally. She couldn't hear any of the beeping from the lab equipment or any sounds of the other captured girls. What she did hear were soft footsteps echoing outside.

As the footsteps grew louder and louder she backed away from the door. The door slot slit open smoothly with little resistance or grinding. The familiar face of the old demon peered into the room curiously and he gave her a large smile.

"Oh my, what an interesting development. Very rare reaction indeed. How wonderful! My best result yet!"

Kagome gave him a puzzled look as he jabbered on excitedly.

"What are you rambling about?" Kagome asked cautiously.

He turned his focus back onto her before patting around his lab coat searching for something. After a moment he pulled out a small round mirror. He held it up for her and told her to look at herself.

Kagome hesitated but glanced in the mirror and let out a startled gasp. She lifted her hands and traced them along her now pointed ears. Her once brown eyes were now a vibrant cobalt blue. She slowly opened her mouth which revealed slightly longer and sharper upper and lower canines. She glanced at her hands and now noticed long pointed nails instead of her short human ones. What had he done?

"This isn't possible," Kagome choked out.

The demon laughed heartily.

"Oh my dear, it is completely possibly. You are my best product yet!"

"Product? Product?!" Kagome exclaimed. This had to be a nightmare. This whole ordeal was something caused by eating bad food or something because there was no reality where any of this could happen. There were no demons in the modern era. Humans couldn't be changed into demons. She was going to wake up in her bed sick with a high fever which would explain this disillusion.

"Oh calm down," he told her dryly.

She slammed her hands against the door imprinting small dents in the metal and causing the demon to jump back in surprise.

"Feisty one aren't you? Not my concern though, you'll be tamed when the time comes."

Just as Kagome went to try and grab him through the open door slot he slammed it shut. She let out a scream of pure frustration and anger as she heard him walking away. She was getting out of this place before anyone came back for her. She didn't want to know what was planned for her next.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews are the best! They also encourage others to read my fanfiction!**

 **NOTE: I am one of those with issues for my traffic stats ( on day 5 now of no working traffic ), so I can't see if my fic is being read. Leave me a review so I know people are reading and enjoying this fic!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Three**

She tried to break down the door and was only able to create fist sized dents all over it. She was sitting on the bed now staring at the door trying to find some sort of weakness. She had also tried punching through the concrete wall, but there was a thick metal sheet behind the concrete. These guys were prepared for attempted escapes.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the heavy footfalls the echoed down the corridor beyond the door. They weren't light like the mad scientist's. She remained where she sat and eventually the door slot slid open to reveal Martin.

Without a word he inserted a blowpipe through the slot and blew air harshly. The dart embedded itself in her thigh and before she could lunge at him through the slot he slammed it shut. She yanked the dark out and threw it do the ground with a clatter.

She beat her fists on the door out of frustration and then slid down it as the sedative they injected her with began to kick in. It took a few dizzying minutes before she finally succumbed to the effects and her body slumped against the door.

* * *

She drowsily awoke restrained face down on another gurney. She tried to pull herself free but felt extremely weak. Her body felt like it was asleep.

"You won't be able to break free. These drugs are specially produced for use on demons," the mad scientist of a demon informed her.

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome slurred.

"Because this is a very lucrative business," he replied matter-of-factly.

She would have asked what type of deranged business he was running, but the words caught in her throat as she saw him pull a hot iron bar out of a burning fire. At the end of the long iron rod was a red hot brand design. She'd seen a documentary about the wild west and cattle branding to know she was about to be marked as property. She couldn't make out the design itself and she didn't want to. She renewed her efforts in trying to break free as the adrenaline that rushed through her body began to push back the sedative's effect.

Gregory injected her with something while she was distracted on the branding iron and began to weaken once again. The two thugs held her down as the demon advanced telling them to make sure that she didn't squirm and mess up the mark.

He pressed the red hot iron against the skin on her left shoulder. Kagome cried out in pain as the brand seared her skin. The smell of her burning flesh made her nauseous, and even after he removed the hot iron the pain remained.

He replaced the iron back in the fire to reheat before turning to a small table nearby and picking up a small container. He opened the lid and strong scent of various herbs assaulted her senses. He stuck his fingers inside the container and coated his fingers in an unknown substance.

He rubbed the balm over her fresh brand and it reignited the burning pain radiating from her wound. Whatever the stuff was, it wasn't helping to ease the pain.

"Won't I just heal anyway," she commented through gritted teeth.

"This balm is special. It'll prevent infection and also prevent you from healing so quickly that the brand becomes compromised or heals entirely."

Once their task was complete they removed the restraints and lifted her limp body off the gurney. They took her to different building through what she assumed were underground tunnels. It was a complete maze with numerous corridors going in different directions.

She was surprised when they reached their destination. This area of the compound was opposite of where she had been detained previously. While it was obviously still a place to imprison people, there were modern comforts available for use.

There were newer beds with mattresses, sheets, and even pillows. Kagome also noted frosted glass provided some privacy for those using the restroom which was probably hidden behind it. It was strange to have such things when imprisoning people.

She was taken to a large cell that had four other girls already residing within. She was placed onto one of the beds face down and then locked inside with the others. She didn't bother trying to move. She still felt very weak and her brand throbbed.

One of her new cellmates – a tall high school aged girl with long medium length black hair – sat across from Kagome. The girl looked at her back and cringed before looking at Kagome directly.

"Horrible initiation," the girl shuddered.

It appeared like Kagome that this girl too had been changed into a demon. The physical attributes of a full-blooded demon were present with one difference; she had light pink scales from the top of her hands to her elbows.

"It'll be a few days before that brand will heal so you'll want to just sleep on your stomach. I'll be honest though, the pain kept me up the entire time."

"What about…"

"The weakness?" the girl interrupted.

Kagome nodded faintly.

"Only a couple of hours, though it seems to vary from person to person. Oh! I'm Hana by the way."

Hana didn't seem very distressed about her situation. She'd been snatched, left in a decrepit cell, tortured, transformed into a demon, and branded. Yet here she was chattering.

It seemed as though Hana could read Kagome's confused expression because she continued talking.

"I've always been too optimistic for my own good, as my mother has told me multiple times. I'm not happy about being here, but the conditions are better than what they were at first."

"Do you know what exactly the point of all of this is?" Kagome asked.

Hana shook her head and puckered her lips.

This predicament Kagome found herself in was growing tiresome now. All she knew was she was some business product according to the old demon. The only business that dealt with people was human trafficking. If that was the case why make them demons? What was the point of that?

* * *

Just as Hana had told her, her strength returned after a couple or hours and a few days later the searing pain from her brand had diminished. There was a small mirror near the showers which she used to look at her brand. It was some sort of glyphic symbol. When compared to the other girls it was different. Their brands used Greek letters and Roman numerals.

Just as before, Kagome examined her prison to find some way to break out. The results were the same as she found no way to bust down the door or bend the thick metal bars – which she learned were electrified.

Over the next few days girls were taken and new girls brought in. They were always cautious and either weakened the girls or knocked them out completely before blindfolding them and taking them away. They never risked having a girl fight against them. When they came for one girl that was housed with others they would weaken them all before daring to enter the cell.

Eventually it was Kagome's turn to be taken away. She tried to avoid being sedated but they eventually stuck her with a dart and was left weakened enough for them to grab her. She could still walk – barely – as they held her upright. She was blindfolded like the others and led away down the same direction as the others.

She listened intently trying to focus on every single little sound so as to try and guess where she was located. Nothing was useful. There were sounds of nature as a door creaked open and the horn of a train blared in the distance. There was nothing unique that stuck out to her.

Her feet crunched against the gravel they were all walking on. She heard a motor from a vehicle of some kind and was pushed onto a seat and strapped in with a seatbelt. They bound her wrists together and then slammed the door shut.

"Comfortable?" came the familiar voice of the elderly demon.

"If I said no?"

"Hm, then you'll be uncomfortable for the duration of the trip."

Another of the vehicles door open and closed as the driver got in; probably one of the goons. The next moment she felt them ease forward and build up speed. There seemed to be a rush of traffic which meant they were probably on a busy highway.

She didn't know where they were taking her or what they planned for her so this was her last chance to escape. She remained still as she stealthily tested the resistance of her bindings. She had been weakened, but not nearly as they had done before.

She slowly maneuvered her hands and fingers till she managed to loosen her restraints. She moved her body to make it appear she was trying to wiggle into a more comfortable position. Since she couldn't tell if anyone was looking at her thanks to the blindfold, she had to move her wrists to a position against the door so her body would block their view.

She shimmied her wrists free but rewrapped them around her wrists to make them appear as though they were still tied together. She couldn't fight them off in her current state and attempting to jump out of a moving vehicle at high speeds wasn't a good idea either. She needed to wait for them to encounter a red light or stop sign and use that opportunity flee.

Kagome anxiously waited to feel the automobile slow down or stop where she felt confident that she wouldn't kill herself trying to get out. It felt like an eternity as though time had stopped. She didn't know if it was day or night or even how long she'd been held captive. She also had no idea where she was. So, when the moment of freedom finally arrived she would bolt and not look back.

She felt them start to decelerate and her heart began to pound. She hoped her anxiousness wouldn't be noticed, though she was certain all the other girls were probably acting the same way when they were along for this 'joy' ride.

They weaved through traffic and Kagome thanked the universe for her luck. If they had been heading out to some ranch in the middle of nowhere she would have been screwed even after she did bust out of the car. Traffic meant people – witnesses – who would wonder why a girl burst out of a car shouting she had been kidnapped. Sure, Kagome looked a bit different now thanks to the demon mad scientist's experiment, but that was something to deal with afterwards.

The vehicle finally slowed and then stopped. Without any hesitation Kagome tugged on the door handle which they hadn't thought to secure and then pushed herself out of the car. She ripped the blindfold from her eyes and was greeted by street packed with cars.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Like this fanfiction? Let me know with a review!**

 **Want updates from me? Check out my forum!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Four**

She ripped the blindfold from her eyes and was greeted by street packed with cars. It was currently sometime during the evening. All the cars had their headlights on and street lamps were lit. She pushed her weak legs to run. The adrenaline from the excitement of being finally free and fear of being recaptured pushed her body to ignore her drug induced weakness.

She staggered and almost tripped a few times in her quest to reach the safety of one of the open shops. She didn't look back, only forward to her goal, a small internet café; one of the few places that would be open 24/7.

She burst through the café's door and rushed to the clerk behind the desk.

"Call the police," she yelled.

The man stared at her dumbfounded. It was then Kagome realized he was freaked out by her slightly inhuman appearance.

"I-It's cosplay! But that doesn't matter! These weirdoes kidnapped me, call the police before the come chasing after me!"

The clerk blinked a few times but did as he was told and reached for the phone to quickly dial the required three digits to summon the police. Kagome finally decided to take a risk and look back in the direction she had just ran. The light had changed to green and the vehicles had already moved on. _What compassion_ , Kagome thought sarcastically.

She didn't know anything about the vehicle she had escaped from but they had probably taken off. She worried they might circle the area waiting for an opportunity to snatch her. She watched the cars come and go trying to spot if the same car passed by multiple times.

After a few minutes of this she turned and asked what day and time it was. It was apparently around 1 a.m. in the morning and she'd been missing for almost an entire month based on the date the clerk told her.

She felt her body weaken as the adrenaline faded out of her system. She felt drained. The combination of wary relief and the weakening left her physically tired. She sat down on a stool nearby and exhaled slowly. In the next few moments there were blaring sirens and flashing lights as the police had finally arrived. They swarmed around her asking her questions and medics trying to look over her to make sure she wasn't harmed. She shooed away the EMTs as she didn't want to draw attention to her physical changes.

After she had finally convinced the medics she was beyond being tired she answered the barrage of questions coming at her. She told them almost everything and carefully avoided the subject on being turned into a demon. She explained her 'cosplay' as a fetish of her abductors.

While they kept pestering her about trying to tell them where she had been held her mother frantically rushed through them all the give her a tight hug that would have normally knocked the wind out of her. Her mother held onto Kagome even while the police tried to pry her away.

Finally her mother pulled away and looked at Kagome and audibly gasped once she looked at her appearance. She didn't say anything out loud but gave a perplexed look as she was led away by the police.

Eventually they took Kagome to the local police station where they officially interrogating her. She gave them the same answers as she had earlier. Kagome kept telling them that if she knew where those bastards had kept her she would have gladly told them so they could help all the others trapped there.

It was 7 a.m. by the time she was finally being released to go home. They had given her a card and informed her there was a high chance they would seek her out again to check if she remembered anything. Her mother had brought her a change of clothes which Kagome was grateful for.

They were swarmed by the news media as they went to leave. Kagome hadn't expected his and quickly tried to use her long black locks to cover her ears and face as best as she could. She didn't want her picture out there that showed her current demon state.

Kagome's mother led her to their family car and helped her get inside before rushing over to the driver's side. The way her mother zoomed away – burning rubber and screeching down the road – she was surprised the police didn't chase after her to give a traffic ticket.

The ride home was silent though Kagome could see her mother wanted to talk to her. The silence continued even after they had gotten home and for the walk to their house. Once they were inside Kagome's mother turned to her took in a deep breath. She was obviously trying to remain calm.

"I'm going to make you breakfast. You can go upstairs and take a shower and after you've eaten you are going to tell me everything."

Kagome nodded and made her way upstairs. She washed herself off thoroughly and changed into a comfortable pair of pajama pants and a tank top. She was tired and wanted to just sleep since it was her only way to escape this nightmare of a reality.

She joined her mother at the table in the kitchen after staring at the unfamiliar girl in her bedroom mirror. Even though the drug's effects wore off hours ago when she was at the police station it sure felt like she was still suffering from it.

Kagome told her mother the whole story as she ate her breakfast. She could taste everything as she ate. The spices her mother used, the ingredients and their unique flavors overwhelmed her, but she was so hungry she ignored it. She'd been pretty much been suffering from sensory overload since she woke up as a demon but it she was slowly adjusting to it.

After she had told her tale her mother looked as though she was about to cry. Kagome could smell her mother's saline tears before the first drop made its way down her cheek. Her mother quickly wiped it away and inhaled deeply.

"We all thought you had returned to the feudal era when you didn't come home. I'm so sorry. If we had known we would have search for you," Kagome's mother said with a strained voice.

Kagome went over to her mother and hugged her. She needed the hug just as much as her mother did. They stayed attached to each other for countless minutes before finally pulling away. Kagome now knew why the police had been so confused when she had told them about the missing girls because she hadn't been reported missing herself. Her mother had come up with a story about why she hadn't reported Kagome missing that was barely believable, but eventually the police stopped asking about it.

"Inuyasha didn't come to this side of the well at all?" Kagome asked.

Her mother shook her head.

"That's why we assumed you had returned. Usually if you're gone longer than a week from the feudal era he comes looking for you."

Kagome's brow furrowed as she tried to think of a possible reason as to why Inuyasha wouldn't have come for her. It was concerning since that meant there could be trouble on the other side of the well. However, her first problem was that she'd been turned into a demon.

"That's a situation for another time Kagome. I know you want to check on your friends, but in your current… state, I would suggest we focus on that right now. You said you were injected with something and then woke up like this?"

Kagome nodded.

"It's so strange. You said the man who did this to you was an old demon. If that is the case then our assumption that no demons exist in our time was wrong. I don't understand," her mother pondered.

"Well, if they managed to turn you into a demon then there must be a way to change you back," her mother said with confidence.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Like this fanfiction? Let me know with a review!**

 **Also, check out my forums if you'd like to chat with me and others who read my fics.**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Five**

Kagome and her family tried out various ways based on their theories in trying to return Kagome to her human form. All of the results were disastrous. If Kagome wasn't a demon currently she might not have even survived what her grandfather had suggested as a 'cure.' Nothing worked and each failure left Kagome feeling more hopeless.

It had been two days she she'd escaped and they had expected to be swarmed by the news media and for her pictures to be plastered everywhere. Strangely though everything was completely… normal (if you counted being changed to a demon normal).

It was on the third day that they had an unexpected visitor. Kagome's mother went to the door when there was a knock. Kagome made herself scarce since it wasn't a good idea to be seen until her issue was resolved; if it ever would be.

She peeked around the corner of the wall so she could see who was at the door. It was a tall and lean man with short black hair wearing a very expensive business suit. He removed his sunglasses as he greeted her mother revealing marvelous hazel eyes. A feeling of déjà vu filled her as she looked him over curiously.

He handed her mother a stark white business card as his eyes slid over to stare at her. She quickly ducked behind the wall and pressed her back against it with her heart thudding in her chest. She wracked her mind tying to place him where she might have met him before, but she didn't really know any businessmen.

"I am aware of your situation with your daughter. My company has invested money in insuring that she is not exposed by the media. As such I would like to understand how this situation came to be."

Kagome heard the businessman's smooth and deep voice as he spoke. Why would a company spend money to suppress the news about a random girl? It was suspicious and the old demon did tell her what they were doing was a "lucrative business." Could this man work for them?

The thought made her tremble in a mixture of anger and fear. She needed to keep her family safe. She didn't know how far those people would go to get her back. She used her fingers to brush her hair over her ear carefully. She'd bought some brown contacts online, but they had yet to be delivered. She'd also filed down her long nails but they just grew back overnight. As long as she spoke carefully she should be able to hide her longer-than-human canines.

Her mother had let the strange man into their home and led him into their living room. She glanced over at Kagome with a worried expression before she went into the kitchen to make tea. Kagome took a deep breath and entered the living room and sat across from the mysterious man. She could hear her mother type in three numbers on her cellphone while in the kitchen but not send. It was a precaution in the event that this man was a threat.

They sat in silence inspecting each other while her mother prepared the tea. Something about him was strange and the intense feeling of familiarity was bothering her greatly. Usually déjà vu was a passing feeling, but this was persistent.

It was when her mother brought the tea and sat down that the conversation began. The man politely took the offered tea after her mother had poured it for him. He took a leisurely sip as Kagome and her mother sat on pins and needles as they waited for him to state his business.

"Why did you pay off the news?" Kagome asked with distrust.

The man set down the cup of tea on the small coffee table.

"I paid them because your situation should be kept a private matter. I also have a personal interest in the matter as well. The world in unaware of demons and should your picture be released and you exposed it would cause problems. While your excuse of cosplay worked for now, eventually there would be those who would question it. Then there are the demons who would know what you are and try to intervene in less than appropriate ways," he replied.

Kagome's jaw dropped when he basically announced he knew what she was. Her eyes went wide when he informed her that demons did exist in her era. Her mind was now buzzing with questions. Why hadn't she sensed them if they were alive in the present? Where were the demons she knew as friends if there was a possibility they were still alive?

"There is also the matter of your unnatural transformation, Miko," he added after a pause.

That caught her attention making her snap out of her thoughts and squint her eyes as she studied him more closely. Then the recognition stupefied her. _It couldn't be_ , she thought. She blinked rapidly, rubbed her eyes, and then looked at him again. It was _him_.

"Sesshoumaru."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Like this fanfiction? Let me know with a review!**

 **Sorry for short chapters, but the shorter they are the more frequent the updates!**

▌ **Chapter Six**

* * *

He said nothing as she absorbed this new revelation. The fearsome Lord Sesshoumaru - Inuyasha's older half-brother - was here in the modern era sitting in her living room. He looked _human_. Nothing about him screamed 'demon!' Had he been changed into a human like she had been changed into a demon?

"You're human," she commented.

"Incorrect. I am still a demon. I simply have a means to hide my demonic nature."

Kagome openly stared at him. Of all the demons to appear and help her he was the least expected. She wasn't sure how much his help would extend and at what cost. He said he had a personal interest in her beyond hiding the truth from humans.

"I am willing to assist you with your current problem of blending in, however I want to know how you came to be like this."

Kagome was clearly agitated by his request. He wasn't asking politely, but rather demanding her to share the events that transpired. She was so sick of having to talk about everything that had happened, but if it meant she would at least be able to pass as human, she'd tell it once again.

Sesshoumaru didn't interrupt or ask any questions as she told him every single horrible detail of what she went through. The abduction, the experiment; everything. His expression remained completely neutral and didn't give away any of his thoughts. When she was done there was a small pause before he spoke.

"Your story is disturbing; taking humans and turning them into demons. I had heard rumors of such things, but I believed them to be false."

"So, then you don't know anything about these creeps?" she asked.

"I do not, though I will be investigating to try and find the individuals you've informed me of."

"What about the other girls? What about changing me back? While being able to _look_ like myself is helpful, actually being changed back is important."

"The investigation will possibly help in locating the other girls that have been taken and transformed. In dealing with the matter of your current state, you would need to come to my company's laboratory."

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest. The moment he said the word 'laboratory' the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She was scared. She was scared because it had been a makeshift lab where she had been changed. She was scared because this was Sesshoumaru. And she was scared because she didn't want to become another experiment.

Sesshoumaru seemed to pick up on her distress because he told her it was her choice to accept his offer or not; he wouldn't force her since it would be counterproductive. He didn't seem bothered at the thought of her turning him down, but she assumed that was because he was probably confident she wouldn't decline.

"Kagome, if this is Inuyasha's older brother, and he is willing to help, perhaps you should consider accepting. We've run out of ideas and nothing has improved," her mother said.

Her mother was right. While she wasn't comfortable with being poked and prodded as a curiosity in a laboratory there wasn't much else they could do. However, she wasn't going to blindly agree to become a lab subject; they needed to make a few things clear.

"Before I agree to your proposal we need to discuss a few details," she began.

"First, I need your word that if I want to leave at any time that I will be permitted to do so. I was a prisoner in that quack's homemade lab and I don't want to feel trapped like that again."

"You have my word that you will not be held prisoner, unless you prove to be danger to yourself or others."

"Whoa, what do you mean if I am a danger?" Kagome asked perturbed.

"You were not born or raised as a demon which presents risks. Demons have instincts that they learn to understand and control as we age. This also applies to learning ones strength and weaknesses. I'm sure you've noticed that you've broken a few things because you grasped it too hard. You're too unpredictable."

"Well, the sooner you help me get back to normal the less of a danger I'll be," she argued.

"While we search for a way to resolve your problem I propose that you consider being trained to cope with your new abilities. It will be safer for others as well as yourself," he countered.

Kagome opened her mouth to argue against his idea, but her mother held up her hand as she looked at her. Kagome's mouth snapped shut obediently so that her mother could speak.

"Kagome, don't be so quick to turn down his offer. I know that this is has been very hard to deal with, but perhaps training while you wait will help you. Even if we can send you back to school, you might accidentally hurt a classmate."

Her mother had a point. Kagome had accidentally broken a door, a couple of door knobs, some cups, and a few other miscellaneous things ever since she returned home. While she'd not destroyed something that couldn't be replaced, what if she hugged a friend too hard? The drugs that had weakened her had long worn off and her demon strength was leaving her having to handle everything as though it was fragile.

"How long would I have to train exactly?" she asked.

"For however long is necessary. This isn't something that can be scheduled. You will have to learn various things and some you may find come naturally to you while other things more difficult."

She didn't like his answer for two reasons. One, she felt the longer Sesshoumaru helped her the more she would be indebted to him. Two, it left her with an unpredictable timeline. The only other option than accepting his help was to sit at home and try and solve things herself, and based on their progress so far, that wasn't doing much good. Ultimately, she needed his help.

"Fine. I'll do the training as well. I also have another demand, I want to be kept in the loop. I want to know whatever you find out in regards to the other girls and those involved in this matter. I want to help."

Sesshoumaru's expression remained the same blank state as he replied.

"I will inform you with what I can. Do you accept these terms or do you have any other _requests_?"

The way he said the word 'request' conveyed slight irritation, or so she thought. He probably had come here not expecting having to negotiate or haggle with her. It seemed possible that he hadn't changed in the almost 500 year time-gap.

"Since we've come to an agreement I shall leave. I will return tomorrow to escort you to the laboratory. It will take most of the day," he stated as he rose from his seat. He excused himself and then left their home without another word.

Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews are a great motivator!**

▌ **Chapter Seven**

* * *

Just as Sesshoumaru promised, he had returned the very next morning to pick her up. Kagome wasn't very eager to train with him even after she had time to list off the pros and cons of their agreement. She'd been unable to sleep due to all the questions running through her mind. If demons did exist in this time then where were all her demon friends? She obviously hadn't been able to detect the demons of her era due to whatever ward they used to conceal themselves. She also wondered why Sesshoumaru never sought her out before in her time.

Kagome had gotten a massive migraine from trying to unravel how time travel worked exactly and only made herself more confused in the process.

He was standing in their living room idly fiddling with his smart phone. He was in his human appearance and if she had run into out and about the city she wouldn't have given him a second thought about being Sesshoumaru. It was a strange feeling having the feared demon lord appearing almost _casual_ in her home.

His face turned towards her and she blushed having been caught staring at him. She finished going down the stairs and approached him as though it was the most normal event. He put his phone into his pocket and turned to face her fully.

"I've brought the glamour ward for your use," he said, directing her gaze to a small black box on the coffee table.

Kagome went over and took the offered box and opened the small box. Inside of it was black velvet covered box that usually contained some type of jewelry. She opened it and reveal a simple silver band inside. She carefully pulled the lustrous ring from its soft bed and examined it more closely.

The outside of the silver band was completely plain. However, the inside appeared to have an inscription in a foreign language. The ring seemed innocent enough and she slid it over her ring finger on her right hand. She wasn't sure how he had known her ring size, but it fit perfectly.

There was a strange tingling sensation that washed over her entire body, but it faded as quickly as it came. Other that she didn't feel any different from before. She walked over to a mirror that hung in the foyer and gasped when she saw herself. She looked like herself again! No pointy ears, fangs, or long nails! Even her eyes were back to their natural brown color!

Kagome experimentally removed the ring as she continued to stare at herself in the mirror. There was a glittery shimmer that came with the strange tingling sensation, and then she was back as her current demon self. She pulled the ring on and off a few more times before Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and gained her attention.

"You can play with the ring later on your own time," he commented with what almost sounded like irritation.

"Fine," Kagome grumbled as she slid the ring on one last time before following after him. He hadn't even waited for her!

* * *

They had driven in complete silence and not a word was spoken until Sesshoumaru had parked his expensive black car in some private garage under a towering sky scrapper. Kagome was impressed, but did her best to appear otherwise.

"So, what does this company do exactly?" she asked.

"Research."

"That's pretty broad. What kind of research?"

"To list everything would take too much time. If it is an academic discipline it is researched under a section of the umbrella parent company. We're involved in almost everything."

Kagome frowned at his back as she followed after him to a steel door elevator. She knew the Sesshoumaru from the past wasn't one to engage in small talk, and it appeared to still be true. It was also still just as frustrating.

The silence returned as they entered the elevator. Kagome crossed her arms as she felt the metal box descend and the floor numbers tick by. A moment later and the doors smoothly opened and announced their arrival to their destination. Sesshoumaru stepped out and she followed him once more.

The level of the building they were on was obviously an underground level. It was stark white and the hallways were like a maze. There were various checkpoints they had to pass through. The level looked deserted as they hadn't encountered any other person since they walked out of the elevator.

"Where is everyone?"

"Doing their jobs."

Kagome's shoulders slumped at his reply. She wanted to throw something that would shatter at the back of his head.

Five minutes of following him through the labyrinth of corridors and they reached what she assumed was their final destination. Before them was a frosted glass door with large white letters and numbers etched into it. Sesshoumaru pulled a blank white card from one of his pockets and waved it in front of the door and it slid open soundlessly.

Beyond the door was a large laboratory filled with numerous people in white lab coats. The room looked like something that should belong in a science fiction movie. However, this wasn't the most interesting thing about this place. All the people working here were demons!

Just as Kagome was about to ask a question a petite female demon with goat-like horns approached them with a tablet and clipboard in hand. She greeted Sesshoumaru with a small bow of her head and gave Kagome a friendly smile.

"This is Shika. I've designated her to be in charge in regards to dealing with your situation. I will return for you later," Sesshoumaru announced before he turned and left. It seemed Sesshoumaru only followed human etiquette around humans.

"Hello Miss Kagome. Please follow me to my office since I am certain you have a few questions you'd like to ask before we poke and prod you," Shika joked.

Kagome earned a few curiously glances as they walked past the others, but they never stopped working on their tasks. Kagome could only guess that whatever research went on down here was demon related only.

* * *

Shika's office was in a quiet corner down a short hallway off the main room. With the press of a finger on her tablet the once clear glass that separated the office from the hallway became frosted to allow for some privacy.

Shika politely placed a small pitcher of water on small coffee table in the small sitting area of her office. She sat down on a black leather chair and indicated to Kagome to sit opposite of her on the black leather sofa.

"Well then, where shall we begin…"


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews give me warm fuzzies!**

 **Want to ask me questions? Use my forums! Want to just chat with me? Use my forums!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Eight**

"What exactly _is_ this place?" Kagome asked.

"Ah, good question. You have noticed all the employees on this level are demons. We do biological and medical research regarding our kind. We have different kind of needs and our work here helps us."

It was understandable and fairly obvious if one actually considered that as human had advanced so too had the demons. However, in the past it was made clear plenty of times that demons weren't able to become ill and that almost all non-fatal wounds would eventually heal on their own. Even Sesshoumaru – who had lost his arm in their first encounter – had overcome the wounds inflicted, and even seemed to have regained his arm.

"Seems a bit strange since what I do know of demons they don't really need much medical interference."

"For most small things this would be true. I don't want to bore you with the details of the things we do here though. However, what we have researched might just help you."

Shika seemed to be dodging around that subject; which caught Kagome's attention, but she decided to investigate on that a bit later.

"I hope so. While this ring is helping me blend in, it's only appearance-wise. I still feel very uncomfortable. It's hard to explain."

"Well, I have a short questionnaire I made to help with that. It's meant to give me a better idea about how to proceed and if there are any possible side effects you've experienced but don't consider them significant. Once you're done with that I will take some various samples; blood, hair, saliva, and such. After I've processed those samples I should hopefully have some idea of what we are dealing with," Shika explained.

Kagome glanced at the thick collection of paper Shika handed to her and sighed. This was going to take a long time to go through.

"I do still have some questions, though not really about me."

Shika seemed to tense.

"Do you know anything about Sesshoumaru's half-brother, Inuyasha?"

"Uhm, I do, but I cannot tell you anything. Sesshoumaru's orders. I can only suggest you discuss that with him yourself."

 _So much for finding out where my friends are_ , Kagome thought.

"The only thing I am permitted to help you with or discuss is your current problem. I also think that maybe you should just focus on getting back to yourself first before anything else. Now then, I'll leave you here in my office so you can fill that out. I know it seems like it will take you a long time, but it's mostly yes/no questions. You don't need to write any essays," she joked.

Shika took a couple of black pends from her desk and laid them down on the coffee table before leaving her office with a gentle smile. This wasn't how Kagome expected this to be. Shika was nice, but she also obviously knew things Kagome herself desired to know. Sesshoumaru seemed to want to keep things concealed; which was concerning and irritating. Why wouldn't he just tell her where everyone was?

* * *

Two hours later and Kagome had finally finished filling out Shika's questionnaire. It seemed to ask if Kagome suffered from every sickness and symptom ever since her transformation. She wasn't sure if she wanted to venture out of the sanctuary of Shika's office. It was during this debate that an idea struck; she could try and use the computer to get the answers she sought. It was a long shot, but she had to try while she had a chance.

She casually sat at the desk in the comfortable office chair and wiggled the computer mouse to awaken the machine from its sleep mode. It hummed as it powered on a locked screen saver prompted her to enter a password. _So much for that_ , Kagome mentally grumbled.

She would have attempted to guess what the password was, but there was a chance that her attempts could result in them finding out she was trying to access their system. So now Kagome was experimentally tugged on all the desk drawers and filing cabinets; all of them were locked. Kagome was considering using her demon strength to yank a drawer open, but knew there would be evidence she had done so.

After a pacing the room a few times she decided to just do it; consequences be damned. She jerked roughly on one of the desk drawers and the lock snapped which permitted the drawer to open. It was right then that Shika had returned and was standing in the doorway with an irritated look.

"You won't find anything of great interest in any of these files since they simply cover my research over the years. You could have just asked me," she sighed.

"You said you were under orders," Kagome rebuffed.

"To not share any information concerning certain individuals, yes. Nothing in these files has anything to do with any of them. Now that you're done wrecking my desk, follow me so that we can proceed."

Kagome flushed with a mixture of guilt and anger. Shika had been fairly nice to Kagome and now Kagome probably just ruined the one possible connection in finding out what she wanted to know. Sesshoumaru was going through quite a bit of trouble in keeping things hidden from here.

Shika motioned for her to follow and she obliged. She also attempted to apologize to her about breaking into her desk. Kagome usually wasn't like this. Her emotions seemed unstable and changed quickly. She reacted without really thinking as well when she was emotionally charged. And while this may have sounded like her normally, things had intensified.

Kagome was led past the numerous demons bustling about to a small room that reminded her of a room in a doctor's office. It had all the standard equipment, the cushioned table with paper on top for sanitary purposes, clear jars with cotton swabs, cotton balls, and even those popsicle sticks used to hold down a person's tongue.

"I will only take samples you permit me to and what you feel you can tolerate. The more samples I get the better chances of me understanding what happened."

Kagome nodded and Shika approached with a needle and multiple empty vials for blood collection.

"Then let us begin," she said.

* * *

It didn't take more than thirty minutes for Shika to collect all the samples she needed. Most of them weren't very painful and some were downright excruciating; such as the spinal tap. The pain came after all the samples had been taken, however she had been assured that as a demon it would go away in a couple of minutes; which was true. Being a demon had its perks.

Shika rambled a bit about how the samples could help try and figure out what may be been injected into her as well as possibly what type of demon she was based on her new genetics. The tests didn't stop there though. That was just to collect biological samples. Now Kagome needed to be physically examined; x-rays, MRIs, cat scans, reflexes and so on.

By the end of everything, Kagome was ready to go home. She wasn't tired, but just as she had known, the ordeal of having to go through this process was mentally tiresome. Shika had even mumbled that it would be a bit difficult to work through everything since they had nothing to compare to when Kagome had been human. Kagome's human medical records didn't many files that could be compared to.

"We're finished," Shika said giving Kagome a small smile.

"I can't say how long it will take me to go through everything. Sesshoumaru wanted to be sure only I worked on this project to help keep it private," she added.

"Am I going to be informed on what you find out?" Kagome asked.

"I couldn't say," she answered with a shrug.

"Figures," Kagome growled, then cleared her throat since it was such a weird noise coming from her.

"Try not to stress about it. I know that this type of advice sounds stupid since it seems to be an automatic reaction, but since you're not a natural born demon being stressed will only make matters worse for you."

It was then that Sesshoumaru joined them in Shika's office. He slipped his phone into a pocket and glanced at both of them with a stoic expression. Shika's head moved to a small bow in his direction as she excused herself, giving Kagome a warm smile as she left.

"Put on the ring and follow me," he commanded.

"H-Hey!"

He had turned and left her in the office without even waiting for her to place the ring back around her finger. She would have yelled after him, but bit the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from doing so. It wasn't that she wouldn't have normally held her tongue, but rather that the last thing she wanted was to let her anger become uncontrollable and get into a physical fight with him over his normal attitude.

"Where are we going now?"

"I am taking you back to your dwelling."

"Oh no you are not! I have been stabbed with needle, strapped down into a machine that makes even a non-claustrophobic person uncomfortable, and endured a ton of other tests! I know you're not doing this to just help me."

"Our agreement benefits both of us. You will be trained to help control yourself and the samples you've provided may help revert you back to a human."

"And you're obviously keeping information from me! Like, how did you know where I lived? You knew about me from the past and never sought me out in the present, why? Where is Inuyasha? Shippo? Koga? You could at least answer some of my questions!"

"You will be informed of these things at the appropriate time."

Kagome crossed her arms in exasperation. She could throw a tantrum – kick, scream, argue – but she knew deep down it would be all for naught. Sesshoumaru wasn't one to give in. All Kagome could do was appeal to the honor she hoped he still considered important.

"Do you swear that you will tell me what I want to know at some point?"

"When the appropriate time comes."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews give me warm fuzzies!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Nine**

Sesshoumaru hadn't contacted Kagome over a week. While she had been able to return to school and catch up on her assignments, it was hard to focus on the lessons when she was anxiously waiting to find out what all those tests had resulted in. Could they change her back? Was this only temporary and would it eventually wear off? There were so many unknowns that it made it difficult to sleep, but that could also be because she was a demon now and didn't need as much sleep as before.

She'd called the number that was on the business card that he had given to her mother. It was a futile attempt at contacting him since it wasn't a direct line. Each time she called the same woman receptionist answered and gave her the same reply at her request to speak with Sesshoumaru; he was in a meeting. Today was no different and she hung up with sigh.

"You need to give them some time. Didn't you say there was only one person doing all the work? You can't expect one person to get that amount of work done in such a short period of time."

"I'm not calling just to find out about the lab results, but also because Sesshoumaru had stated I was going to be trained to cope with being a demon," Kagome complained.

Just as soon as she finished speaking there was a knock at the door. Kagome motioned for her mother to remain seated as she stood to see who it was. She peered through the small peephole and it was none other than Sesshoumaru.

"Speak of the devil," Kagome grumbled.

She opened the door and gave him a hard expression. It probably wouldn't bother him in the least, but she felt she had to express her irritation in some way. She stepped to the side to permit him to enter her family's home and led him towards their kitchen. Kagome was trying out the virtue of the outward appearance of patience. Maybe if she didn't press him for information it would be given more freely; or she could just be sneaky and try to get his phone.

"Since you're not here just to visit, does this mean Shika is done going through everything?" Kagome queried

."It will take much longer than a week to go through all the samples and files," he responded.

Kagome felt like there was no progress at all since accepting Sesshoumaru's 'help.' So far the only help he'd given her was a way to disguise herself. She needed to return to the feudal era since Inuyasha hadn't come for her. It was strange for him to not show up and demand she return. Something felt wrong, but she couldn't just time jump into the past as she was since there was no telling what happen. She could lose her self-control and hurt someone or worse, kill someone.

"So, you don't even have an estimation when Shika will be done?"

"She will be done processing the samples by the end of this month. Time and patience on your part will still be required once Shika has completed that task as she will still have to review and compile all the information. I've come to inform you to be prepared as tomorrow I will begin training you," he informed her.

"So you came here to just tell me that? Couldn't you have just called me?" she inquired/

"I am not sure how advanced these individuals. It was believed impossible to change humans to demons, but clearly they are able to do so. They would need access to powerful individuals with the resources to fund this operation. For safety reasons contact needs to be in person to avoid giving this organization any opportunity in finding you," he elucidated.

Kagome simply blinked at him a few times and then shook her head. It seemed overly cautious, but when she thought back to the equipment the old demon was using, it wasn't junk that had been tossed out by hospitals or research labs. It was advanced; almost on par with what she saw in Sesshoumaru's lab.

She was expecting him to leave since he had told her what he wanted, but he didn't. He casually sat down in the living looking completely out of place with his tall stature and expensive attire. Kagome crossed her arms as she looked at him with a quirked brow with a clear question; why was he still here. They seemed to have stared at each other forever before Kagome felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end; the shiver causing her to look away.

"Staring can be viewed as a challenge, which you have just lost. But, that is for another time. Tell me, have you attempted to return to the past?"

"No, not yet. Why?"

He didn't respond to her question. Instead he simply turned and left her standing there fuming about being ignored. It was strange and aggravating that he was avoiding her questions. There was something he was hiding from her, and while he promised to answer her questions when it was the right time, that meant he was going to answer her only when he decided to. She was ready to rip her hair out in frustration!

She slammed the door shut which ended up breaking due to the force of the impact. The door knob popped out, the wood splintered and it popped off its hinges. She groaned loudly at the mess as she heard her grandpa rush to inspect the commotion. She was in for an earful.

* * *

After she had helped repair the damage and replace the door, Kagome's eyes kept wandering in the direction of the Bone Eater's well. She couldn't understand the point of the question. Why would it matter if she used the well or not? After pacing in her room and failing to make any progress on her assignments, Kagome made her way outside and to the well that took her into the past.

Her hands caressed the familiar wood of the well and she peered down into its depths. Maybe she was just being overly anxious about how her friends would react to her change. Now that she considered returning to the past, she could attempt to seek out answers to her problem there as well. It was a long shot, but she hadn't heard from Inuyasha and that was worrisome by itself.

She took a deep breath and threw herself over the lip of the well and plunged towards the bottom. There was no blue glow that indicated her transition between eras. She landed at the bottom and looked up to find herself still residing in her own time. She attempted to time travel countless times with each jump resulting the same; she couldn't return to the past.

Sesshoumaru's question worried her now. Could he have known before he even asked what the outcome of her attempts would have been? Now Kagome was certain that he was hiding something from her.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **We've hit the 10th chapter! Yay! Tell me what you think with a review!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Ten**

When Sesshoumaru came back the next day as he promised, it took all of her will not to pounce and demand answers. He seemed to already know what she was preparing to get into with im and held up his hand to stop her before she even started.

"It didn't work," he stated.

"You knew it wouldn't work, didn't you?"

He passed over the threshold and into her home as though he owned the place. Kagome carefully shut the door to avoid having to repair and replace it again. Being a demon was wrecking havoc on the house. She'd destroyed her cellphone when she had been trying to call one of her classmates for notes around the time she had missed school.

"I suspected the well wouldn't work. The last time anyone saw you, you had told them you were returning in a couple of days. When you had not returned as promised, Inuyasha attempted to venture to your era and was unable to. No one could understand the cause for the well to cease working and so I was requested to seek you out in the future around the time of your disappearance. However, you were taken before I could contact you since it is hard to translate an exact time and date of when you returned from the past. I could only estimate the event."

"So, you're saying you knew about me this entire time and where I lived? Everything?"

"Essentially."

"Then why didn't you ever try to stop me from being taken into the past in the first place? I mean, you lost your arm when we first met! You could have changed everything if you wanted to! You could have warned me about all the troubles in the past, the things with Naraku and Kikyo. I would have loved to avoid having half of my soul taken from me!"

"I am not one who is foolish enough to change the timeline of events. Surely you must have sought out to understand the effects of time travel, such as the butterfly effect. The smallest change affects everything from that point of disturbance. If you had never returned to the past, the current present may not have ever existed. I actively avoided interfering in your life."

"So then why bother interfering now? You used the word request, who asked you to find me?"

Sesshoumaru didn't immediately answer her. The pause in the conversation and momentary silence sent an uncomfortable shiver of fear down her spine, a sense of something foreboding. His expression faintly changed and looked darkened and and weary.

"Inuyasha asked this of me with his final request," he admitted.

"W-What do you mean his 'final request?'" she struggled to ask.

"Do not ask questions to which you know the answer to," he growled.

"H-H died? When did he die?! What happened?!" she sobbed. She had seen him only a couple of weeks ago and now Sesshoumaru was telling her he was gone. Not just in her era, but in the past as well. She had left and he had died.

"He died from a plague that swept through the country," he stated impassively.

"But, he was half-demon. He wouldn't have been affected by something like that," she sobbed trying to shake the dark thoughts coursing through her mind.

"It was an evolutionary jump basically. A human plague had begun to spread and we believed in our immunity, so we weren't cautious in avoiding the infected as we should have been. I theorized that a half-demon must have become infected which allowed the plague to mutate and infect demons," Sesshoumaru explained.

It took Kagome a long, silent moment to process what he had told her. She blinked back tears as she began to begin to feel her heart ache with emotional anguish. She was terrified to ask about the others; Sango, Miroku, Shippou, even Rin, Kohaku, and Kaede. If a plague had affected demons, how badly did it spread through the human population?

"It can't be true," Kagome denied, shaking her head.

"Girl, despite what you choose to believe, the truth shall always remain the truth."

Usually Kagome would have snapped angrily at being called 'girl' instead of her actual name, but her mind was a swirling mess and she was emotionally shattered at now having to face the harsh truth of why her era was the way it was.

"What about Shippou?" she whispered mournfully, feeling as if she already knew the answer.

"He did not survive."

Kagome's tears breached and escaped her eyes and dripped down her cheeks as she released a painful sob. Shippou had only been a child!

"Almost the entire village was infected by the plague. Your friend Miroku was the only one of your group to survive and became the caretaker of what is now your shrine. The old priestess - Kaede - died of old age before the plague. The demon slayer was impressively strong after becoming ill, but still did not survive. Soon after her death did it also spirit away Rin and Kohaku."

Each death was a stab into Kagome's heart. If could return to the past, could she stop them from suffering so? Could she protect them from a plague that killed so many? The pain began to transform into anger as she looked in Sesshoumaru's calm eyes. He didn't seem the slightest bit bothered by the event of Rin dying. He had mourned her loss before and had even ventured into the land of the dead! Now he seemed unaffected by the loss of losing her once again.

"If you had just presented yourself to me sooner, this could have been avoided," Kagome lashed out.

Sesshoumaru seemed unmoved by her rage and pain.

"I had considered it. However, it became clear that doing so would not change the result."

"How do you know?! How could you possibly know that it wouldn't have worked?!"

"Calm yourself before you destroy your home," he commanded in a stern voice.

Kagome glared at him before she realized she had clenched her fists so hard her nails has punctured her palms. Fresh, bright red blood, dripped down her closed fists and onto the floor. She hadn't even felt the pain from the wounds. She slowly released her grasp and looked at the angry marks as they wept blood. She looked up into a mirror that hung on one of the walls and saw the glamour around her shimmer in its struggle to keep her appearance hidden. As it flickered she saw her eyes were black around the edges, similar to the red that happened with Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru when a great deal of demonic power was flowing through their bodies.

It was then she felt the room spin and all the energy drain from her body. She would have fallen onto the floor if Sesshoumaru hadn't caught her. He moved her body to rest on the sofa before moving to sit across from her prone body.

"Allowing yourself to become so enraged in your current state is dangerous to yourself and everyone around you. I was unsure you would even be able to access your demonic energy since you were created rather than born. I suggest that you remove yourself from school and your family for their safety, unless you wish to risk losing control and harming them."

Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru as she heard her mother enter the house with her brother and grandpa following after her. She could hear their bodies stiffen based on the rustling of their clothes and smell the worry as they began to perspire. Her mother knelt down beside the sofa and asked Kagome if she was alright, while Kagome's grandpa verbally attacked Sesshoumaru before throwing a pointless talismans at him, which only proved to irritate the demon.

"She was unable to control her demonic energy and and temporarily weak. It will pass. Will you cease plastering these things all over my person incompetent priest?" Sesshoumaru nearly growled out as Kagome's grandpa tried to slap a talisman on the demon's face.

* * *

It took Kagome's mother an hour to console her father after Sesshoumaru's insult and manage to distract him into tending to the shrine grounds. Souta ensured he was always within eyesight of Kagome and would periodically glance over and Sesshoumaru with a fearful curiosity. By the time everyone had settled down Kagome had recovered enough to sit up and talk.

"Kagome, are you certain you are alright?"

"I'm fine mom. I was just a bit tired afterwards, but I promise I am fine now," Kagome tried to soothe her mother.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but looked directly at Kagome and his words played back in her mind. She didn't want to admit it to anyone, least of all herself, but she was unable to cope with being a demon and all that it came with; the strength, increased senses, instincts, and now her anger had almost caused her to go beserk.

"You suggested I should leave, but where would I go?"

The question was directed at Sesshoumaru and caused her mother and to gasp at the question. They had been tolerating so much from all the trouble she had been causing them recently. Her family had done their best in trying to help her, but Kagome was now realizing the danger she was putting everyone in. She'd witnessed Inuyasha lose control and being overpowered by his father's demon blood. She didn't want to end up like that; so if she had to remove herself, she would.

"I would house you where you would be unable to harm others and ensure your safety."

"And where exactly is that?"

"My home."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Tell me what you think so far with a review!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Eleven**

Kagome awoke in her own bed and noticed it was bright and sunny outside. She groaned as she rolled to her side to glance at her bedside clock. It seemed like it was three o'clock in the afternoon. She'd been asleep for a couple of hours it seemed after nearly losing control earlier. Her mind flashed back through the answers Sesshoumaru has callously revealed. All of her friends were gone. Dead. It hurt to associate that word with her dear friends. She had never really stopped to ponder about their lives. She was centuries ahead in the future from there time and yet she took it all for granted because she always returned to the past where they were alive. She never considered their mortality.

Kagome was angry at herself and furious with Sesshoumaru. He could have stopped all this from ever happening. He could have intervened whenever he had wished and yet never had. His reasoning behind why seemed like a poor excuse. She began to feel the rage build up inside her again and took a deep shaky breath as tears began to sting her eyes. She grabbed one of her pillows and squeezed it tightly to her chest. She was stuck here in the present and unable to return to the past to help save her friends. Now - more than ever - she needed to return to being human. If she could be changed back, she should be able to save them from such a horrible fate.

A soft knock sounded from her bedroom door. Based on the scent that wafted through her room she knew it was her mother. Kagome dried her eyes, even though she knew they'd be red and puffy from crying, and said her mother could come in. Kagome rolled over to her side and moved to sit up as her mother cautiously entered the room.

"He said that you were awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm just tired. I'm fine," she lied. Inside she was an emotional wreck.

Her mother mentioned nothing about Kagome's appearance. She just gave her a small smile and asked her if she wanted to join everyone downstairs. Kagome would have preferred to have been left alone to her thoughts, but she could smell the worry and tension that was thick in the air. She got up and shook off the wave of dizziness before following her mother down stairs where Sesshoumaru, Shika, and her brother and grandpa were waiting.

Her grandpa was glaring daggers at Sesshoumaru and was armed with all sorts of talismans. Sesshoumaru returned the glare with a stern expression. The staring contest ended when her grandpa turned to look at her. Before he could make a fuss, Kagome's mother gave her father-in-law a harsh gaze which caused his mouth to snap shut. Souta wasn't around and had probably be sent to a friend's house.

Shika came in from the kitchen with a coffee filled mug which she handed to Kagome. Kagome wasn't much of a coffee drinker, but was grateful for it now to try and chase away the remnants of her fatigue. She took a careful sip of the steaming liquid, careful to avoid burning her tongue.

"How are you feeling?" Shika inquired.

"I'm still waking up, but I'm fine.." _physically_ , she added mentally and tried to give a smile. Shika's expression made it clear she didn't buy it.

"Well, the event doesn't seem to have negatively affected you that I can tell. That being said, it's very dangerous to be around your family and attend school," Shika cautioned.

"Kagome, Sesshoumaru has made a suggestion. While you know we are fine with you staying home, it is ultimately your choice regarding what you want to do," her mother stated.

Kagome turned her attention to the stoic demon. She wasn't sure she wanted to even be in the same room with him right now. Just looking at him, his scent in her nose, the pressure from his presence, was enough to cause her body to tense. She was still angry at him; so much so she was actually borderline blaming him for everything. This wasn't the right place or time to get into another spat with him though. For now all she could do was seethe inwardly at him.

"Until you've gained control over yourself or are successfully reverted to your former self, you should be removed from your school and away from others you could potentially harm," Sesshoumaru stated.

"And where exactly would I go?"

"My home."

Kagome bit down on her tongue to keep herself from verbally lashing out at the absurdity of his suggestion. She could barely tolerate him during their limited interactions. If she had to stay at his house, that meant he'd always be around pissing her off. A small, vindictive voice whispered an idea. _You could make him just as miserable as you are if you did agree._ Oh, how it was tempting to consider. She mentally shook the idea away, feeling horrible that she would have such dark thoughts.

"How could staying with you be safe?" Kagome's grandpa grumbled.

The staring contest resumed between old priest and ancient demon. Shika laughed a bit nervously and tried to diffuse the tension by stepping between them to block them from each other's view. Her grandpa crossed his arms and pouted since he had just been ready to attack Sesshoumaru with more talismans.

"Kagome, I know it's a little strange. However, his place is really secure. The entire building has one of the most advanced security systems in place. The people who abducted you wouldn't be able to get anywhere near you there. You'd be under Sesshoumaru's protection so other demons wouldn't try to do anything to you either unless they have a death wish. It would also be pretty difficult for you to harm others since it's pretty isolated."

Shika tried to point out the benefits to Kagome, but the suggestion still made her uncomfortable. Having to live in an isolated residence with the frozen demon prince seemed emotionally draining already. She would probably lose her mind from cabin fever.

Kagome turned to look at her mother. Her family put up with so much of her drama. She was thankful that they supported her no matter what, from her adventures into the past to becoming an unstable demon. She didn't want to hurt them or her friends. She had been desperately trying to maintain a normal life this side of the well, and so far it wasn't working out at all. She inhaled as she pondered Sesshoumaru's offer once again, trying to push back her discriminating thoughts and think rationally.

"Will I be able to stay in touch with my family?"

"Yes."

She would take advantage of this situation. It was all she could do to help herself, her family, and her friends. As much as she was loathe to admit it, she needed Sesshoumaru's help. She also had the feeling that he was hiding much more than the tragic history of the past, and this would give her the opportunity to find out what exactly that was.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Not too much happens in this chapter, sorry!**

 **Also, sorry for the long wait for this update! So much happened this month (family member had surgery) so I was too busy to really write anything.**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Twelve**

Kagome stared at her small luggage bag. She had agreed to only spend - at most - a week's time at Sesshoumaru's residence before making a true final decision on the matter. Sesshoumaru seemed irritated at her stubbornness on the length of her stay, or at least she thought he seemed irritated; it was difficult to tell with him. She was regretting her decision a bit now though. He was going to be here any moment to pick her up and her heart was beating with anxious speed. He was so elusive and secretive. It had taken forever for him to reveal the deaths of her friends in the past. Every time she reflected on the memory her heart aches and her eyes stung.

She felt there was something more. He had every opportunity during her life in the present era intervene. He could have changed the outcome of everything in the past if he'd done so. If she had never gone down the well, the Jewel of Four Souls would have never emerged and therefore never shattered. However, she also wouldn't have met Inuyasha and the others. Thinking about the complications of time travel - like last time - was giving her a headache.

She couldn't ponder on the subject any further as her mother announced what she already knew; Sesshoumaru had arrived. She grabbed her bag and went down stairs to face her next obstacle, enduring a week alone with the apathetic Sesshoumaru. She would have thought he would have changed over the past 500 years; apparently not.

She hugged her mother, grandfather, and Souta ever so gently for fear she would hurt them. She promised she would be fine and to call her mother every day. Her mother carefully worded what could have been defined as a threat to Sesshoumaru, basically promising he'd regret it if anything bad happened to Kagome; even though Kagome could probably pick up a car and throw it.

She waved at her family one last time before she joined Sesshoumaru in his car. She was so used to going to the past and being away from her family for long periods of time, but this was different. She had adapted to jumping back and forth through time, and while she did miss her family, she never worried for their safety. Now, with all that happened and was happening, she was worried they were in danger. Sesshoumaru had assured her that he had her family under surveillance in case her abductors sought her out, but it didn't calm her nerves.

* * *

It was a long drive to wherever they were going. They drove through the busy city streets, and the longer they drove the less civilization there was the further they were. Soon enough there was nothing but beautiful countryside as far as she could see. Kagome didn't even attempt at small talk with Sesshoumaru, and she began to find it didn't bother her a much as before. She was consumed with her own thoughts and the serene quiet of the journey meant she didn't have to fake niceties.

By the time they reached their destination it was in the early evening. They had drove a couple of hours and were a bit north of the city. Sesshoumaru drove off the main road to a small dirt one with a metal gate prohibiting access. He tapped a button on his cell phone and the gate swung open. The dirt road twisted and turned slightly up the mountain before a small compound was revealed on the last curve.

There was a large modern building that was a mixture of concrete, metal, wood, and glass. There was a large courtyard and spacious gardens with a variety of flora. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Sesshoumaru pulled up a small drive and then down a ramp that went under the house. Inside there was one other car already parked there, but not nearly as expensive as the one Sesshoumaru was currently driving. Once the car was parked and the engine cut off, he got out of the vehicle and opened the trunk to remove her luggage. Kagome stumbled out after him in awe of the scenery still.

" _This_ is your home?" she gawked.

"One of them."

"Of course it is," she grumbled under her breath.

He hadn't been joking when he said this place was isolated. She couldn't hear anything but the untouched nature of the mountain. It was strange to her since she'd be dealing with the constant droning of living in Tokyo. There was a set of large, intimidating, metal double doors which he opened to allow them entrance into the house. Before she could ask why he would leave this place unlocked, she discovered the answer for herself. The other car in the garage probably belonged to the person who was currently greeting them at the entrance of the mini-castle.

"Welcome home my lord," a petite demon women greeted.

"Everything you requested has been taken care of. Dinner has already been prepared. Is there anything else you require of me?"

"No, you are dismissed," he answered.

The woman bowed respectfully, slowly backing a few steps before finally turning away. Whatever had been prepared smelled wonderful and cause Kagome to salivate. He set down her luggage on the floor and proceeded to walk in the direction of the delicious aroma. She had been expecting some sort of king's feast, where there was more food than any person could eat in a lifetime. However there was a simple meal on a slightly larger-than-average chabudai. Sesshoumaru casually sat down and pointedly looked at Kagome until she too sat on the flat pillow on the floor at the table.

"Eat," he commanded.

Kagome normally would have demanded a little politeness from the domineering demon, but she was starving. They hadn't stopped to really eat during the drive and snacking hadn't been enough to keep her from feeling a bit famished. She wondered why he didn't seem bothered like her over the absence of food.

She happily ate the offered food and barely paid any mind to the demon lord sitting across from her eating his own meal. It wasn't long before Kagome had finished everything and rested her hand on her stomach. It was in this position that she realized Sesshoumaru was looking at her and she blushed with embarrassment. She was being a bit too relaxed in his presence.

"I'd like to call my mother, to let her know I'm alright and we've arrived," Kagome stated more than asked.

He had told her to leave her cell phone behind which meant she needed to borrow his. He took his phone out of his suit pocket and slid it across the table to her. She took the phone and politely excused herself. She was a guest in his home, even if she didn't want to be. If there was even a slight possibility that following to social niceties would increase the chance of him sharing more information, she would do it.

She walked over to a large floor to ceiling window that looked over a steep drop on the mountain side that they had driven up. Her mother picked up on the first ring and seemed to sigh with relief when Kagome's voice greeted her. They were mutually worried about each other and Kagome let her mother know she was fine and had survived the road trip. It wasn't a long conversation, but it was enough to relieve some of Kagome's anxiety.

Kagome returned to the area that served as a dining room and saw that everything had been cleared off the table. Sesshoumaru and the demon from earlier had been talking and stopped once she had gotten close enough to hear them talking. It didn't sound like anything secretive. It was mostly Sesshoumaru giving her a list of errands and tasks.

"Kagome, this is Momo." The diminutive demon with peach colored hair and red-orange eyes bowed politely after Sesshoumaru introduced her. Kagome bowed in kind.

"I will be here to assist Lord Sesshoumaru and yourself while you reside here. If you need something, please do not hesitate to ask me and I will do my best to serve you," said Momo.

Kagome was going to say that she was fine on her own. She didn't like the idea of having to ask Momo for things; it was a bit awkward. However, Momo seemed to know she was about to decline her service and her friendly coquelicot eyes narrowed a fraction. It changed her happy expression just enough to express a challenging menace. Kagome laughed nervously as she nodded.

With the introductions done, Sesshoumaru wordlessly left Kagome with Momo. She huffed a little, but she didn't have the energy to pursue him. Momo took Kagome's luggage - again with a look daring her to say otherwise - and led her to a spacious bedroom. Like the house, it had modern furnishings with some traditional japanese design influence and large floor to ceiling windows. There appeared to be an en suite bathroom of considerable size attached to the room.

Momo set down Kagome's things on the floor near the bed and excused herself. Kagome thanked her and turned to look out the windows with a sigh.

"This is going to be a long week."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **I used some literal Japanese words for some names because I'm not that creative. (~_~;)**

* * *

▌ **Chapter 13**

"It has been a month since she escaped and you've still not found her whereabouts?"

The dark haired, acid-green eyed demon scowled and the elder demon. Their system hadn't had any issues until the old fool had lost one of their assets. It wasn't the loss of the potential profit that bothered him, but rather having their black market business discovered. The girl could also expose demons to the human population if she lost control and they were far from ready to deal with those consequences.

"Forgive me, sir. I believe someone has interfered and hidden the product. We were expecting information about her recovery to be released by the media. She was apparently never reported missing either," the old demon reported.

This information was obviously displeasing as the scowl remained on the green-eyed demon's face. This unnerved the old demon, but he remained where he was since he had not been dismissed. His employer was going to punish someone for the loss and lack of progress in finding the girl; he could only hope it wasn't him.

"It appears Martin and Gregory have become lax in their duties. The incompetent fools clearly cannot maintain control over the product, so they'll have to be released from their contract. You'll be personally responsible for that matter as well as finding replacements. Production cannot stop, but you will have to be more cautious and selective."

"Of course, sir."

"You are dismissed," he said with a lazy wave of his right hand.

The aged demon bowed and the left the office, leaving the man alone. He tapped his fingers idly on the glass desk for a moment before pulling out his cell phone. He swiped his fingers across the smooth glass of the smartphone until he found the contact he wanted. He called the number and was greeted instantly with a riddle of a voice mail. This contact could only be found by those who could decode these messages. He hung up and quickly dialed another number where a soft voice answered on the first ring.

"Inase, I have a need for your skills."

"What's the job Mr. Kuroki?" the voice asked.

"I need you to find someone for me. I'll send the information I have to you."

"It must not be much if you can't find them, sir. I'll see what I can dig up."

With that the line went dead. Kuroki, the green-eyed demon in a business suit, glared at the phone for the rude disconnect. Inase was perhaps the only employee that could get away with such impoliteness. He was a very skilled hacker that managed to do what seemed impossible to most others.

He glanced down at the black folder on his desk and opened it to review the files it contained for the hundredth time. He looked at the before and after photos from the old demon's procedure and smirked. Her transformation had made an already lovely girl bloom into demonic beauty that could have never been achieved as a human. It was very impressive.

She was becoming a bit of an obsession to him. The girl that managed to escape. The girl whose transformation thus far had been the most superior. Henkei was always working on improving the serum responsible for the transformations from human to demon, so each girl that was changed was better than the last.

They needed to find this mystery girl before humans started taking notice of her. She could pass off a human for a time, but since each girl reacted to the serum differently there was a danger in letting her wander around freely. Some girls - while appearing to have gone through the process without problem - ended up dying for some known and unknown reasons. He'd hate to see this outcome for this one if it could be avoided.

He reluctantly closed the file and placed it into a hidden safe that rose up from the floor next to his desk. Inase wouldn't fail him; he never failed him. Now he needed to focus on the upcoming auction. He stood up and straightened his suit and tie before walking to one of the dark grey walls of his office suite. He pressed his hand against it and a beep could be heard and a hidden elevator door opened. He casually stepped inside and pressed one of the many buttons and began his descent to the auction floor.

He exited the elevator and proceeded to his personal viewing box to observe the auction. It was much like what you would expect to find in a luxurious hotel room. There was a comfortable seating area that faced towards the circular stage that was currently dimly lit. The glass between the stage and the viewing box was a two-way mirror so the occupants could remain anonymous. However, he would know who would be bidding, he always knew. There was a minibar with an assortment of alcoholic and nonalcoholic offerings and a small tablet that was meant for the bidders to use. It contained the information about the product and allowed them to place their bids.

There was a small chime followed by an announcement that the auction would soon begin. The once dimmed light on the stage darkened completely before illuminating once more, with a female demon standing on the center of the stage staring blankly around at the surrounding mirrors.

"C Rank female, Corvus, Crow. Bidding will start at ¥11,000,000," the announcer droned.

He looked at the tablet and saw the bidding war begin as each guest raised their offer. The girl up for auction wasn't even their top quality, but even their lowest quality products brought in a nice profit and this was no different today. The bidding went on for a couple of minutes before the winning bid stopped at a little over ¥56,000,000.

Kagai Kuroki smirked with pleasure.

* * *

So, just a bit of information down here to help. ¥11,000,000 is around $100,000USD and ¥56,000,000 is around $500,000USD. Corvus is the latin genus for Crow. (I'm so uncreative, hehe.)

 **Character Name Meanings this Chapter  
** These don't show full names for all characters though these characters have a first and last name.

 _ **Kagai**_ (the divider/evil/harm/mischief/assault) _**Kurok i**_ (dark tree, black tree)

 _ **Henkei**_ (transformation)

 _ **Inase**_ (smart)

 **Character Name Meanings from Previous Chapters**

 _ **Akiko**_ (autumn child)

 _ **Hana**_ (flower)

 _ **Shika**_ (gentle deer)

 _ **Momo**_ (peach)


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews are appreciated!**

* * *

 **▌Chapter Fourteen**

Kagome hadn't gotten any sleep, though it wasn't like she really needed it. So she was awake all night with her mind anxiously rambling. So now here she was watching the color of the world outside change colors as the sun rose in the east - the direction her window faced. It seemed like it was going to be a bright and sunny day, but Kagome felt gloomy.

There was a gentle knock on the bedroom door and Kagome permitted Momo to enter. She was getting better at identifying others by their scent. It was hard in the city due to all the air pollution, perfumes, and such. Momo bowed as she greeted her and informed her that breakfast was ready before excusing herself. Kagome wasn't that hungry, which was probably due to her eating so much last night.

She hesitated at the threshold of her room. She was starting to really regret this whole idea of being out in this wilderness with Sesshoumaru. However, during the night she'd been trying to decipher Sesshoumaru and his secretive ways. Most people would have jumped at the chance to alter the events of the past without a second thought; yet here was Sesshoumaru arguing against it when he could have profited from doing so. She would find out what he knew, she had to.

With new determination she exited the room and headed towards the room they had eaten in previously. There was a warm breakfast waiting for her on the table. Sesshoumaru only had a cup of coffee in front of him as he read an old leather bound book. Kagome joined him at the table and poked at the food on her plate. After getting a silent glare from Sesshoumaru she took a few bites.

"What exactly are we doing out here; training wise," she inquired. He hadn't been exactly specific in what kind of training she was going to have to go through.

"There are a few things I want to have to attempt. Momo should have prepared an outfit for your use in your room. Go change and she will take you to the dojo."

Kagome's eyes narrowed at him in frustration, but she said nothing. There was a small staring contest before Kagome jerked her glance away from an overwhelmingly uncomfortable feeling. She'd probably never beat Sesshoumaru in a staring match if she felt this way every time they locked eyes.

* * *

Once she had changed into the wonderfully comfortable yoga pants and tank top; Momo lead her to a spacious dojo that was located a level under the home. Sesshoumaru was dressed in much more traditional clothing; wearing black hakama and white keikogi jacket.

He had taken off his glamour and stood before her in his true demonic appearance. His hair was still short, but was his natural platinum white color. She decided to follow suit and removed her own as well; moving to place it gently on a small table resting against a wall that had a variety of weapons on display.

There were other weapons resting on racks; many of which she didn't know the name of. However, they didn't clutter the room at all and she wondered if they were there for decorative reasons or if they were actually ever used.

"Tell me, priestess, why did you not use your abilities while you were captured?"

Kagome turned her distracted gaze towards him and furrowed her brow at the question.

"It wouldn't have done much since there was only that older demon. I could have probably killed him, but doing so wouldn't have helped my situation. It probably would have made it worse since his human goons would have probably just killed me as soon as they found out about my abilities."

She turned to face him fully now, crossing her arms over her chest wondering what this had to do with training.

"And you've not used them since you returned home."

It was a statement more than a question.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I never encountered demons in my time so I never really had to use my spiritual powers while here."

"Use them now."

"Huh? Why?"

He narrowed his eyes in response which resulted in Kagome letting out a sigh of annoyance. She took in a calming breath before focusing on manifesting her spiritual powers, but something horribly happened instead. The moment the normal feeling of gentle warmth that came with her powers began to stir, a terrible burning pain seared through her body causing her to collapse to the floor onto her hands and knees with a cry. Kagome tried to summon her powers again, and the result was the same. A scorching sensation flooded through her veins and weakened her strength even more.

"I-I don't understand. I can't use my powers!"

Sesshoumaru approached and then kneeled down in front of her. He looked over her with studious eyes for a moment before moving her to a seated position against one of the plain walls.

"I suspected as much from when you almost lost control at your home," he disclosed.

"Suspected what?"

"Being a priestess, your natural enemy is demons. Your powers destroy demons, and yet that is now what you are. You shouldn't have fainted at your home when you began to unconsciously use your demonic energy. Your innate spiritual abilities suppressed the demonic side of you and the clash of energies resulted in you fainting. Just now, when you tried to summon your power, you were purifying yourself.

Kagome's eyes went wide with horror.

"Then that means…" she began, but did not finish.

"If you were to use either energy - demonic or spiritual - you risk harming yourself or ending your own life."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews are appreciated!**

* * *

 **▌Chapter Fifteen**

After her failed attempts at accessing her spiritual powers in the dojo, Kagome felt drained. Sesshoumaru had carried her back to her room and told her to rest and she hadn't heard or seen from him since. Momo has come in shortly afterwards with a simple meal and a fresh pot of tea. Kagome was ravenous after the events in the dojo and ate every bit of food that was on the plates.

Kagome sure if Momo was under orders or it the demoness was just making sure that as a guest, kagome was resting properly. Any time Kagome tried to sneak out of the bedroom, Momo was there gently pushing her back into bed. After an hour of this 'game' Kagome gave in and closed her eyes to rest.

She didn't awaken till the next morning. The aftermath from using her conflicting powers wasn't nearly as bad as the first time. This gave her hope that maybe it was something that would get better over time. She had felt confident that if she needed to defend herself from a demon in the present that it wouldn't have been an issue. Now, she felt defenseless.

Kagome - yet again - found Sesshoumaru with a cup of coffee and a leatherbound book at the small table. There was breakfast set out on the table for her which Kagome only ate a third of; not because she wasn't hungry, but rather because Sesshoumaru was staring at her. It was unnerving.

"What?"

Silence.

"Seriously, why are you staring at me?"

"I'm simply being observant. It appears that there are no lasting effects from yesterday, probably due to the inherent demonic healing factor. Shika wished to know how you were."

"Shika knows? About the whole nearly frying myself thing?"

He nodded.

"So, what now? I can't train if I can't use my powers."

This earned Kagome a quick glance as Sesshoumaru looked away from his book for a moment before his eyes slid back down to read.

"It's strange to see you give up so quickly. You used to be much more stubborn when you were faced with obstacles."

"I don't know what you expect from me. I can't use my spiritual powers without nearly purifying myself. And I can't use my demonic powers - whatever they are - without issues either."

"Your senses are stronger, correct? You've gained demonic strength, senses, speed, and healing. The issues are when you try to use dormant energies within you. They are currently negating each other, so the moment you try to use them there is an adverse reaction. This does not mean you cannot use your physical demonic abilities; you need to practice and train to make better use of them."

Kagome didn't want to admit that Sesshoumaru had made a valid point. She didn't have any problems accidentally destroying her family's home because she'd forgotten to hold back on her strength. She even became worried that if she sneezed too strongly she'd create an open concept living space by accident.

Then a thought crossed Kagome's mind. He said he suspected this had been an issue with her and had said nothing about it. Instead, to confirm his theory, he risked her purifying herself when he had asked her to try and use her spiritual powers. Kagome needed to stop being so gullible. She didn't trust the demon lord since they'd never been on friendly terms; more like a reluctant alliance which ended with Naraku's death. She'd accepted his deal - that he would tell her things when the time was right - and she should have pushed for something more concrete, but she hadn't. This most recent event was the last straw; she was getting answers.

"I won't argue against being instructed in order to control those things. But I am done having you experiment on me like this without my informed consent."

Sesshoumaru looked as if he was about to speak, but Kagome held up her hand with a stern expression daring him to interrupt her.

He remained silent.

"Ever since you revealed yourself, you've been withholding information. You didn't want to tell me about what happened to my friends. You barely keep me informed about the progress in dealing with my current condition. And now you've pulled that cruel stunt just to verify something you suspected; which freaking hurt by the way!"

She inhaled slowly to calm herself. The last thing she needed was to lose control and pass out.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're truly trying to help me, or if your involvement has to do with something else; besides what Inuyasha requested from you. I have nothing to negotiate with; nothing of value to try and convince you to share the things you know with me. I can't threaten to expose that demons exist without risking my family's safety. I can't beat it out of you either; though believe me that has been very tempting to try."

"You want me to trust you with my life, which is difficult to do when you're keeping me in the dark and treating me like a test subject. You have to trust to earn trust. If you really want to help me, then you need to start telling me what I need to know; what I want to know. I need to understand because I am not someone with blind faith."

Kagome's body had tensed without her realizing it. She was nervous confronting him like this. In the past he would have probably already tried to kill her. Instead he sat in silence while directly looking at her. He was extremely difficult to read. Sometimes, an almost imperceptible expression would cross his features. Kagome nervously cleared her throat and looked away when she realized she'd been blatantly staring at him for the last minute.

"Very well."

That caused Kagome's jaw to drop in mute shock. That hadn't been the reaction she was expecting from him. She had been prepared for some dismissive comment or even just to be completely ignored. It took a moment for her brain to wake up from its daze. Part of her thought he was just messing with her to shut her up on the subject.

"W-Wait. Are you serious? If you're-"

"I do not joke."

Kagome didn't even know where to begin. There were so many things to ask, about events in the past and her issue in the present. He had touched on the subject of what happened to her friends in the past; but there was something that stuck with her about that conversation.

"When I asked you why you didn't attempt to change the past, you said you had considered it, but found it would have been pointless. You said it like you'd gotten the answer elsewhere. It felt almost like it hadn't been your own conclusion."

It was hard to pin exactly what had been off about their conversation. It was something in his tone when he spoke about it. The demon lord's face tended to be nearly impossible to read, but his voice sometimes revealed things about his emotions. She couldn't see Sesshoumaru ever allowing Rin to suffer and die from a plague if he could have prevented it.

"You are correct. I did consider altering the past. I could have easily prevented the catalyst that started it all; you being dragged down into the well. However, I spoke to someone who explained the flaws in my plan. Their insight about time influenced and changed my decision."

"Is there someone else? Someone like me who can travel through time?"

"No, you could call her a fortune teller, at least right now that is what she does."

Kagome's brow furrowed in confusion. Sesshoumaru didn't seem the kind to seek out a fortune teller.

"She is an ancient being - not demon and not human - who can see things beyond normal understanding. She claims to be a deity and even has a shrine that was built in her honor." He didn't seem very pleased to be discussing this mysterious person.

"I want to meet her."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews are appreciated!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Sixteen**

Sesshoumaru had actually appeared hesitate with Kagome's request. Kagome even thought she saw a nano-second of fear flash through his eyes. She wondered what kind of person could get such a reaction out of the demon lord. Kagome didn't know if this woman could help her or her friends, but she had to speak to her.

"It will take some time to arrange," he finally replied.

Kagome quirked her brow at him. He actually appeared hesitant over a possible meeting.

"What do you mean, arrangements?"

"One cannot simply approach her shrine and get an audience with her. An appointment has to be made and she can be a bit fickle."

"How long do people usually have to wait to meet her?"

"It depends on the person. I had to wait twenty-five years, but I've heard of others having been scheduled for a century."

Kagome's heart plummeted to the bottom of her ribcage. They didn't have that much time to waste. If what Sesshoumaru had said was correct, the plague wasn't that far off from happening in the past and if she was going to do something about it, she couldn't wait that long! Sesshoumaru had summoned Momo while Kagome had been consumed by her thoughts. He had written some note and handed it to Momo who bowed politely before she excused herself.

"Momo will work on the arrangements. Meanwhile, you need to make a decision since the week is almost finished. I can take you back to your home or you can remain here and I can teach you to defend yourself without having to rely on demonic or spiritual powers."

Kagome couldn't think of a valid reason to turn down the offer this time. Sure, Sesshoumaru was still a jerk that got under her skin at times, but she needed to find a new way to protect herself, and also kill some time until Shika found a way to reverse what happened to her. Kagome still hesitated in accepting the offer. She worried for her family, even though Sesshoumaru had promised that they would be fine. She was going mad with impatience because it felt like there was little she could do. She was stuck in the present so she couldn't save her friends in the past. She was stuck as a demon and couldn't use any abilities from either her demonic or spiritual powers. She stuck in this wretched limbo waiting on others to solve her problems and it was irritating beyond words.

"How long," Kagome asked, which came out more like a sigh of resignation.

"Three months," Momo announced suddenly, cause Kagome to jump slightly. Momo was really good at that.

"Three months?" Kagome inquired.

"The appointment isn't for three months," Momo finished as she handed Sesshoumaru a folded slip of paper with a flustered expression; one of embarrassment and amusement. She explained that whoever they were seeking an audience with - they'd yet to address her by name - had wanted to give Sesshoumaru a message.

Sesshoumaru's expression actually changed! His eyes had widens and his body tensed as he read the note, until finally his jaw clenched tensely and he let out an exasperated sigh. Kagome had difficulty keeping her laughter to herself.

"That woman," he muttered, causing Kagome to choke on a laugh she tried to stop from being released. Whoever she was and whatever was written on that note had just made Kagome's day in breaking the Ice Lord's frozen expression. It had distracted Kagome for a moment from the fact that she now had to wait three months before speaking to this so-called deity.

"Wait! Three months?! That's way too long," Kagome's sputtered out before even thinking.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had retreated into his study right after that and told Kagome she needed to decide by tomorrow. It wasn't like there was much else she could do while she waited to appear before the mystery deity; if that's what she really was. If demons existed, surely this wasn't outside the realm of what was possible.

Kagome was annoyed that she was going to have to wait three months. It was better than waiting years or even centuries, but time wasn't something Kagome wanted to waste. She needed to find a way to go back to the past. There was a foolish idea that if she could reduce the effect of the plague on the demon population that the situation in the present with trafficking the transformed girls would be prevented from ever happening. Kagome knew the chances of her preventing a plague from ever occurring was an impossibility, but part of her didn't want to let go of that idea.

She was currently in the vast library that was filled with books that Sesshoumaru had collected. Momo had helped her gather all the books related to the period of history when the plague had begun trying to see if there was information about the 'patient zero' - the person who was the first one infected - but there was nothing.

She closed the book she was reading with a long sigh. Unless this deity could tell her when and where she needed to be to stop the infection from spreading, she was going to have to try and think of other ways to save her friends. She could ask Sesshoumaru about giving her some vaccines and give them to whoever she could, but many would still be wiped out from the sickness in the end.

Kagome ran both her hands through her hair as she pondered the impossible task. There had to be a reason for her to keep returning to the past even after wishing the Shikon no Tama into oblivion. She had planned on living her life in the past with Inuyasha only to return to the past and be in her current predicament.

There had to be something she could do.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N** : Excuse any grammatical and spelling errors. If you spot something that you believe needs to be corrected please send me a message.

All characters from the series Inuyasha © their respected owners.

Do not repost this fanfiction or claim it as your own.

 **Reviews are appreciated!**

* * *

▌ **Chapter Seventeen - Month One**

Kagome had called her mother and informed her of the change of plans. She was going to stay at Sesshoumaru's secluded home, and train with the powerful demon lord while they waited for the appointed day when they would meet with the nameless deity. There wasn't much else to do since Shika was still working on all the samples Kagome provided for a possible cure. Kagome needed the distraction from her anxious feelings.

It was still odd to her that Sesshoumaru had decided to reveal anything to her. There were times where he appeared to be the same cold demon lord from centuries ago; then there were other times where he wasn't his past self. For the most part though she felt he was pretty much the same; an enigma.

Kagome was currently changing into some yoga pants and tank top since she was supposed to meet Sesshoumaru for their first actual training session. She didn't know what to expect since it was like he handed her out a printed curriculum. There was a fluttering nervous feeling in her chest because she'd seen what the demon lord could do; and fighting against him now centuries older meant he probably grown more powerful.

Once she was dressed she made her way to the dojo. Sesshoumaru - of course - was already waiting for her. The room was slightly different this time; in the center was what appeared to be a meditation area. Confused, Kagome approached and quirked a brow at set up.

"What's this?"

"The first part of your lessons; meditation. Your emotions cause you to lost control of your powers; demonic and spiritual. You need to learn to focus and maintain control so you don't - as you put it - fry yourself."

"What about learning to actually fight?"

"That will come after you have passed this first phase."

"Doesn't seem like it'd be that difficult," Kagome shrugged as she moved to sit down on the meditation pillow on the floor.

Sesshoumaru shoved her away roughly, causing Kagome to stumble then fall into a heap on the floor. She glared up at him as she moved to stand back up, her body tense with anger.

"What the hell was that for?! You said I needed to meditate to learn control!"

"Then sit."

Kagome tried to sit down once again, and again was shoved away, only this time she managed to not crash onto the floor. He was increasingly pissing her off.

"What. The. Fuck?!" She shouted.

Her anger was becoming rage. She lunged at him and he easily evaded. That was all she could remember before waking up on her back in the dojo. Kagome hadn't ever been drunk in her life, but she was sure this was what a hangover felt like after a night of binge drinking. Her head was pounding and her body ached. She managed to sit up and looked over at Sesshoumaru who was practicing his swordsmanship.

It was beautiful.

She'd always found the smooth motions one went through went practicing swordplay to be lovely. He went through the motions seamlessly with a grace Kagome could only dream to ever achieve. Kagome continued to watch Sesshoumaru practice the hypnotizing movements of the blade in a daze.

"How long do you intend to stare?"

His question snapped Kagome out of her trance and an embarrassed blush crept across her cheeks. She averted her gaze to look at the wall behind him. He stopped what he was doing and sheathed the sword. It wasn't Tessaiga, Tenseiga, or even Bakusaiga.

"Tenseiga," Kagome exclaimed suddenly and jumped to her feet, rushing towards Sesshoumaru with so much speed she slammed into him. She would have toppled over if he hadn't grabbed her around her waist and steadied her.

"That's the answer!"

"What are you raving about?"

"Wait," she paused as her brain to wake up more fully, "You could have used Tenseiga to save them, couldn't you? Didn't you?"

Kagome stepped back away from Sesshoumaru and saw his expression darken in one of the rare moments of his emotions being exposed.

"Those who died from the plague could not be resurrected."

"T-That doesn't make any sense! Tenseiga can revive one hundred beings with one swing! How could it not save Inuyasha, Shippou, and everyone else?"

"By the time I had returned to that village, the survivors had already burned the bodies of those that had died from the affliction to prevent it from spreading. Inuyasha and the monk were the only two left of your group by the time I arrived."

Kagome's throat began to ache as she fought to maintain her composure and emotions; she'd already blacked out getting angry for Sesshoumaru shoving her away. It was hard enough on her body having it happen once. She took in a deep breath.

"Then you could have saved Inuyasha then. You told me he had a last request which means you spoke to him before he died. Tenseiga could have brought him back."

"He didn't want to be revived."

Shock slammed into Kagome.

"Y-You're lying," she managed to stutter. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed at her causing her to take a step back instinctively.

"Why would he want to die?"

"Why ask when you already suspect to know the answer?"

Kagome shook her head. She didn't want to assume Inuyasha's reason behind his desire to be allowed to remain dead. Inuyasha had never really chosen between Kikyo or herself. Kikyo had died which had eliminated the hard choice Inuyasha had to make when it came to who he loved. He had loved Kikyo, but he also had loved her as well. After Kikyo's second death, Inuyasha hadn't lost any of the love he felt that was divided between the two of them, and there always seemed to be an sense of guilt blanketed over him when it came to Kikyo. So, with Kagome gone - stuck in the present - and the shadow of his first love remaining in his heart, he'd made his choice.

Inuyasha chose to join Kikyo in death.


End file.
